U.N. APPEAL FOR CHILDREN

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25607, 23 September 1948, Page 4

U.N. APPEAL FOR CHILDREN

CHEQUE FOR £389,666 HANDED OVER

BEST COLLECTION IN ‘WORLD SO FAR

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 22. A cheque for £389,666 18s 6d, the total amount collected in New Zealand to date for the United Nations’ appeal for children, was handed to the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) to-day by the chairman of the national appeal executive (Mr C. S. Falconer). Mr Fraser expressed the thanks of the Government to all who gave and worked for the appeal. The Prime Minister said the result far exceeded anything he had thought possible. The amount represented 5s a head of population and was sufficient to provide meals for 250,000 children for six months.

Referring to the attitude of New Zealand’s delegates at Geneva, Mr Fraser said there was no idea of their ndt intending to take part in future appeals. They were simply seeking an efficient accounting of what had already been done before they went further. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland) added his congratulations to the committee. Everything possible should be done to relieve the lot of many millions of Europe’s children. Added Value The Minister of Finance (Mr Nash) said the Government had not only contributed £250,000 for the same objects and a large sum to meet the costs of the present appeal, but on August 19 “someone” had added 25 per cent, to the value of the £389,000 collected in the appeal. In his report to a meeting of the executive committee held before the presentation, Mr Falconer said that, though New Zealand might be beaten by Iceland, so far its contribution was* the world’s best in relation to the size of the population. The promotion costs of the appeal would not exceed 5 per cent. These had been granted by the Government so that the gross total collected could go to the fund. The amount handed to the Prime Minister still did not represent the final figure. The money would be passed on to the New Zealand Treasury and would be drawn on by the Department of Industries and Commerce, the international fund’s purchasing agency in New Zealand.